Form unit



n- 1959 w. A. JENNINGS 70,

FORM UNIT Filed April 19, 1956 OOOODODODIOD DODIOOBODOID Fig.4

IIIVVIVLZNTOR. WILL/AM AJ/s/v/w/vas ATTORNEY United States PatentfOfiice 2,870,516 ORM UN T William Allen Jennings, Des Moines, Iowa, assignor to v Economy Forms Corporation, Des Moines, Iowa, a corporation of Iowa Application April 19, 1.9.56, S.ertal1510,5723? 2 Claims. c1. 25-131 This invention relates generally to forms utilized in making concrete structures and moreparticularly to an improved concrete form unit.. i

In theme .of concrete form units of the type shown in my prior Patent 2,341,993, clamps of the type shown I Likewise, if the side 18 will be referred to as the outer side.

2 ing only as to size. Each form'1-0 includes a flat base plate 11 having four straight sides 12 (only two of which appear for each form ,10 in Fig. 1). Projected laterally of the base plate 11 and formed integrally therewith at each side 12, is a flange plate 13 provided-with a pair'of uniformly spaced rows of openings 14 and 16; As best appears in Figs. ,3 and 4, each flange 12 has a pair of opposed sides 17 and 18. The side 17 is positioned adjacent to and formed integral with the base plate 11 and will hereinafter be referred to as the inner side and the The adjacent ends 19 of adjacent flanges 13 in each unit 10 are secured together so that each unit 10 has a flange extended completely about the periphery thereof.

As shown in Fig. 2, the flanges 13, at their ends 19 only, are substantially perpendicular to the base. 11.

"Stated otherwise the corner junctions of the. flanges 13 are ;normal to the base 11. :Intermediate their ends or corner junctions 19, the flanges 13 are bowed transversefits loosely and is ineffective to provide the tight clamping of forms which is required in a well assembled form structure. It has been found that the slight variations in thicknesses in the standard guage material, used in the making of the forms, are suflicient to cause this poor fitting of clamps on the form flanges.

An object of this invention, therefore, is to provide an improved concrete form unit.

A further object of this invention is to provide a con- Further objects, features and advantages of this inven- I .tion will become apparent from a consideration of the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a pair of form units of this invention, shown in assembly relation with each other;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of adjacent portions of the forms shown in Fig. 1, wherein the clamps are removed, and the end flanges are broken away and other parts are shown in section for the purpose of clarity;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary transverse sectional view of adjacent portions of adjacent forms, prior to application of any clamps to such portions, taken along line 3-3 in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary transverse sectional view of adjacent portions of adjacent forms, after the ap plication of a clamp to such portions, taken along line 4-4 in Fig.1, and showing the clamp in assembly relation therewith; and

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary longitudinal view of adjacent forms taken along line 55 in Fig. l.

With reference to the drawing, a pair of concrete form units of this invention, indicated generally at 10, are illustrated in Fig. 1 in a connected assembly relation.

In Fig. 1, the forms 10 are illustrated as being rectangular in shape and are substantially identical, differly in a direction'inwardly of the base platell (Figs. 2 and 3). In other words, each flange 13 is formed so that the terminal edges 41 and 42 of its sides 17 and 18, respectively, are in alignment transversely thereof and intermediate such terminal edges the flange 13 is curved so that its convex surface faces the base plate 11 for a purpose to appear hereinafter.

This arrangement of the flanges 13 relative to the base plate 11 is accomplished during the assembly of a form 10. The flanges 13 are initially bowed over their complete lengths and then placed in a jig along with the base 11, such that one end 19 of a flange, as shown in Fig. 5, is in abutting engagement with the terminal end of a side of its associated flange 13 to form a corner of a form 10. The flanges 13, at such corner junction, are then clamped in the jig to bring their ends 19 into alignment normal to the base 11, after which the abutting portions of the flanges 13 are secured together as by welding. The flanges 13 are formed integrally with the base 11, or made integral therewith as by welding. The flanges 13 (Fig. 5), therefore, for a slight distance inwardly from their ends 19, as indicated at 40 in Figs. 2 and 5, progressivelymerge from being transversely straight to being transversely bowed.

Adjacent forms 10 are assembled together by a plurality of the clamps 21, each of which has a pivot or fulcrum arm 22, a pair of spaced jaws 23, and an actuating handle 30.

In applying a clamp 21 to a pair of adjacent flanges 13, the pivot arm 22 is initially extendedthrough an aligned pair of openings 14 or 16 in apair of flanges 13 arranged back to back as illustrated in Fig. 4, with the free ends 35 of the jaws 23 arranged outwardly of the adjacent flanges 13 so as to be in a position for straddling the same. .A clamp 21 is then rotated about the pivot arm 22 such that the'flanges 13 are progressively received within the slot or opening 25 between the jaws 23. This action of the clamp 21 yieldably moves the curved portions of the flanges 13 toward each other so as to progressively reduce the space 26 (Fig. 3) between the flanges 13.

In cases in which the flanges 13 are slightly thicker than usual, the flanges 13 are completely straightened by the clamp 21 as illustrated in Fig. 4. In the case of flanges 13, of a usual or standard thickness, or thinner than usual flanges 13, the flanges, in their clamped position, are slightly bowed, namely, tend to be straightened out. However, such a bowing does not affect the desired tight assembly of a clamp 21 therewith to preclude any accidental loosening or removal of a clamp 21. The formation of the flanges 13 so as to be perpendicular to the straight base sides 12 at the corners of the base plate 11 and the straight sides 17 and 18 of the flanges 13 provides for the forms It being readily stacked in tiers in the assembly of a form structure.

From the above description, it is Seen that this invention provides a form unit 19 in which the flanges 13 are bowed inwardly during forming of the unit 10. Asa result, the flanges 13 always tend to assume such a bowed formation to provide for a uniformly tight clamping together of the adjacent flanges in adjacent forms 10 when the clamps 21 are applied thereto.

Although the invention has been described with respect to a preferred embodiment thereof, it is to be understood that it is not to be so limited, since changes can be made therein which are Within the scope of the appended claims.

1 claim:

1. A concrete form unit comprising a flat base plate having a flange integral with and extended laterally of one minal edges and having end portions, with said end portions being normal to said base plate and said flange being curved in a direction laterally inwardly of said base plate such that the terminal edges of said side portions lie in a plane normal to said base plate.

2. A concrete form unit comprising a fiat base plate having a flange integral with and laterally extended from one side of said base plate, said flange having the ends thereof normal to said base plate and sides with terminal edges, said flange being transversely curved in a direction toward said base plate such that the terminal edges of the side of said flange remote from said base plate lie in common plane normal to said base plate.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,017,243 Budd Feb. 13, 1912 1,970,547 Anderson Aug. 21, 1934 2,102,717 Jennings Dec. 21, 1937 2,341,993 Jennings Feb. 15, 1944 

